My next big project is my first English album and it’s jazz. This has been my dream for as long as I can remember. Our take on this jazz album is to also retain our Chinese identity. So we have some Chinese elements in the album. I play the guzheng and we put that in as well. It’s a completely new sound we’re trying to create.

With the budget of 100 million yuan, the film features a host of strong cast members including singer Hu Ling, pianist Lang Lang and comedian Guo Degang. But more surprisingly, Lin will play alongside the Hollywood megastar Angelina Jolie.

Other reports still call it a false rumour. Wanda Pictures also denies it. It is noted that Brigitte Lin, Angelina Jolie and Lang Lang’s paychecks combined alone would blow the the budget. (Sina), 2

The government of Hong Kong has issued its highest level typhoon warning for the city - known as the number 10 signal. Such a designation is reserved for storms expected to produce hurricane-force winds.

Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Ho-sun Chan has started shooting his next directorial project following Wu Xia, a drama entitled American Dreams In China.

The film is described as a tale of friendship, loyalty and betrayal, following three university graduates who build a multi-billion dollar tutorial empire. Their rise and fall plays out against the backdrop of historical events in China spanning three decades from the beginning of economic reforms to the present day.

“I can see feedback right after people have watched and I am able to know what is good, and what can be improved,” said Gu. “Micro films present a real, direct communication between the director and the audience”.

Huayi Brothers’ “Painted Skin: The Resurrection” easily hold on the top spot for another week with a strong $36.33 million over this past week, while it has hauled in $83.76 million as of last Sunday. Renowned director Kaige Chen’s “Caught in the Web” debuted at number two at the weekly boxoffice chart in mainland China with a decent $7.14 million over its first three days in release. Martial art flick “Wu Dang” started with a not bad performance, sitting at third place with $3.18 million during its first three-day theatrical run.

Based on an original idea of Chan’s, the story is a two-hander action comedy featuring a detective (Chan) who must track down an American gambler that has skipped out on his debt owed to a Macau casino syndicate. The settings include Hong Kong, Macau, Eastern Europe and mainland China.

No wonder, the world’s impression of China still focuses on the “cultural revolution” (1966-76), men’s long braids typical of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and foot binding. Those indeed are representative of China’s past, but other parts are often neglected, and the true stories of China and its people have long been misread. The varnished and sometimes demonized images simply hold the real China back from the rest of the world.

Micro News

Zhou Xun

Stills from a media set visit in Beijing for the latest celebrity micro film, “I Know You”, starring Zhou Xun and Jing Bo-Ran. Produced by Pang Ho-Cheung, Wing Shya directs from a script by Jody Luk (”Love in the Buff”). In the fantasy romance, Zhou Xun plays three roles, as a teacher, a beautician and a doctor, as well as an alien who like to eat Earth’s food. Jing Bo-Ran plays a chef. The film was shown to the media in Beijing. Wing Shya explained that the film explores the love and trust of city people and expresses the yearning for the simple life.

Tang Wei and director Kim Tae-Yong attend the Hong Kong premiere of “Late Autumn”. Hyun Bin was absent due to work commitments. Asked for a reaction to Edison Chen’s recent declaration of love for her, Tang Wei was unwilling to give a positive response. She gave thanks to all friends and fans who like her. An staff member came to her aid and dragged her off.

In more Edison weirdness: Perhaps to try and distract attention from Tang Wei fans urging him to let go of their idol, he posted a black and white image of the back of Chow Yun-Fat from “God of Gamblers” with the words, ”I am also in love with him, someone can help me to tell him?” The two posts received over 40,000 comments. Many of Tang’s fans have already responded, asking the notorious lothario to give Tang a break and leave her alone, and suggesting that he has been watching Lust/Caution and wants to make a sequel with himself as the star. (TaipeiTimes)

A growing trend is to include celebrity casts and crews. “We have films in line featuring big stars like Christine Fan, Elva Hsiao, Rainie Yang, Berlin Chen and Lin Chi-Ling,” Liu said. Similarly, Youku has also launched a project in collaboration with famous directors and actors. Some of their big names include Gu Changwei, Ann Hui and Wang Xiaoshuai.

Invited by the SIFF organizers, Hong Kong singer and actress Gigi Leung tried directing for the first time with her film Fortune Cookie. Leung, who was involved in writing the script, portrayed the lead character in the film. The story is about a biscuit store owner who explores life through her customers. Leung said her multiple roles in the production were “interesting and challenging.”

Like Leung, actress Huang Yi also tried the director’s seat. In her directorial debut Exchange, Huang told the story of a university student from Guizhou Province who managed to build a new school building using her incredible skills at bartering.

My Love was directed by the young Jin Yimeng, who made her name with the film Sophie’s Revenge which featured stars like Zhang Ziyi and Fan Bingbing. Her short film My Love tells the story of how a terminally ill woman addresses problems at the very end of her life. Another film directed by Tian Yuan tells of a woman psychologist and her relationships with her patients.

What does it take to get together Brigitte Lin, Sylvia Chang, Zhang Jingchu, Eric Tsang, Derek Yee, Ringo Lam, Shi Nansun as well as Andy Lau? A small party to celebrate Andy Lau’s new fatherhood at Derek Yee’s place.

Prestigious photographer Chen Man shoot a batch of new photos for cast of the movie “The Last Supper.” Director Lu Chuan, actors Daniel Wu, Liu Ye and Chang Chen were seen inside an old public bath house. The pictures will be published on Esquire Magazine

The diva attended the 27th birthday celebrations for the 17th Karmapa (head of a prominent Tibetan Buddhist school) together with other Hong Kong superstars, including Carina Lau, Rosamund Kwan and Kenny Bee, who brought his family along as well.

An interesting twist on a classic plot, Dangerous Liaisons is essentially a deluxe soap opera. But with its beautiful cast and gorgeous production design, it is still a highly enjoyable way to waste two hours.

… it has a deal with AMC Entertainment to screen up to 15 titles a year, include the raunchy Hong Kong comedy Vulgaria, Taiwanese romantic comedies Girlfriend Boyfriend and When A Wolf Falls In Love With A Sheep, warlord actioner The Bullet Vanishes and Thai martial arts pic Rebirth.

The production company for the upcoming thriller “Nightmare”, which is directed by Herman Yau and starring Fiona Sit, Huang Xuan and Zhou Chuchu, announced its July 6th mainland release date yesterday.

Director Lu Chuan’s first micro film “The Way of the Heart” releases its poster.

In more micro film news, actress Huang Yi is directing her first micro film, “Exchange”, based on a true incident in which a female university student inspired by the ‘paperclip for a villa’ (see links below) exchanged two rings and in four months after three more exchanges built a classroom building. Huang Yi developed an interest in micro films when she was invited to act in another micro film earlier. This time, she was invited by the Shanghai International Film Festival’s director of micro film projects to direct and Huang readily accepted.

Vicki Zhao’s directorial debut “To Our Past Youth” finished shooting in Nanjing and Shanghai, and the cast and crew are in the midst of their shoot at the Huangguoshu Waterfall, a famous scenic spot in Guizhou Province.

Another June edition of L’Officiel, with Huang Yi on the cover this time.

April 4, 2012

Promotional materials and a short trailer were recently released for Stephen Fung’s “Tai Chi 0″, first of a planned trilogy. Shu Qi and Daniel Wu, besides those below, were also announced as cast. Sammo Hung will action direct the Huayi Brothers production. The posters were unveiled in Beijing’s World Trade Center subway station, Beijing’s busiest stop.

The film wraps with Ann Hui’s My Way - starring Francis Ng and Jade Leung - about a pre-op transsexual man nervously waiting for his operation. It is a stylishly melancholic film, and defined by the moment when he goes to the hospital for the operation, goes to sleep in the male ward (next to a newspaper reading old man) and wakes as a woman in the female ward…and finally indulging in a smile of relief and happiness.

“I am rather disappointed by Vincent Zhao’s words,” Yen said. “If I had made a mistake, it would have been my insistence in casting him in the movie. I have no energy to entangle myself in this issue. My lawyer has started on the case.”